Semester 2 Exam Vocabular Flashcards
Major causes of WW2
Nationalism, totalitarionism, militarism
Major Leaders of WW2
FDR, Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Hirohito
Allied Countries
US, Soviet Union, and UK
Axis Countries
Germany, Italy, and Japan
Major Events
Nationalism in Europe and Asia, Soviet revolution and communist government, failure to reconcile WW1, rise of Nazi Germany, Fascism in Italy, Spanish Civil War
Adolf Hitler
Elected democratically, good speaker, pledged revenge for WW1, united Germany and began the holocaust.
Maginot Line
A line of fortification constructed by France between France and Germany
Battle of Britain
The Air battle between Germany and Britain over English skies.
Luftwaffe
Aerial warfare branch of Nazi Germany
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor naval port bombed by Japanese in hopes to prevent America from entering WW2
Lend-Lease Act
A US program that supplied the USSR, Free France, and China with weapons during WW2 without directly engaging in the war.
Sonar and Radar
Sonar detects sound waves. Radar detects radio waves. Sonar used in submarines. Radar used in planes
Rationing
Restriction of peoples right to buy unlimited amounts of particular foods and other goods during WW2.
FDR
Proposed government “New Deal” policies to get out of the depression. Entered the US into WW@ after Pearl Harbor.
Erwin Rommel
The German commander (Desert Fox) of an elite ground force called Africa Core
D-Day
The Allies (3 million total) confused German soldiers by purposely giving them faulty locations, and parachuted down behind German lines on June 6, 1944,
Hitler and FDR deaths
FDR died on April 12, 1945 of a stroke, and Hitler and his new wife committed suicide on April 30th.
Battle of Midway
Naval battle of WW2. American planes won a decisive victory over the Japanese navy.
Island Hopping
The strategy used by the US during WW2 in the pacific. Troops would hop from island to island, defeating the Japanese troops on each, until they neared Japan.
Kamikaze Pilots
Deliberate, Japanese suicide planes that crashed into military targets
Atomic Bombs
Nuclear chain reactions that caused massive explosions. Used twice by the US in Japan. Little boy in Hiroshima. Fat Man in Nagasaki.
Douglas MacArthur
A brilliant American general who led troops during “Island Hopping”. Fired by Truman in 1951.
Holocaaust
The systematic genocide of the Jewish during Hitler’s reign in Nazi Germany.
Kirstallnacht
Night of the broken glass. Nazi troops stormed Jewish businesses and stores, destroying everything in sight.
Japanese Internment Camps
Camps that imprisoned all Japanese civilians on the west coast as an “act of security”
United Nations
An international peacekeeping organization consisting of nearly all counties, created to resolve international conflicts.
Yalta Conference
Final meeting of Stalin, Churchill and roosevelt
Nuremberg Trials
Trials charging 24 surviving Nazi leaders
Isreal
Created as a refuge for the Jewish to live in and practice their religion freely.
Truman Doctrine
US policy in 1947, providing economic/ military aid to free nations threatened by communism
Containment
American foreign policy to “contain” the spread of communism.
Location of Berlin
The Capital cit of Germany. Split into East and West Berlin, with West Berlin as an island of democracy in Eastern Germany
Marshall Plan
Plan by secretary of state George Marshall to economically supply European countries rebuilding after WW2
Communism
A system of government with no private property and equal living, work and pay. All earnings go to the government which it then redistributes.
Joe McCarthy
A Wisconsin Senator who falsely accused hundreds of innocent people of being communist.
HUAC
(House Un-American Activities Committee) An investigative committee in the house of Representatives aimed on finding communists and spies.
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
2 minor communist activists accused of sharing military secrets with the USSR. Sentenced to death.
Iran Curtain Speech
1946 speech by Winston Churchill detailing the line seperating the eastern block from the Western World.
Taft- Hartley Act
An act vetoed by Truman but still passed, overturning many union rights.
GI Bill
A 1944 law providing financial and educational benefits for WW2 veterans.
Diplomat
An official representing a country abraod
Harry S. Truman
Sworn in 4/12/1945 after FDR’s death. Democrat. Slogan “The Buck stops here” Ordered atomic bomb drops on Japan.
China and Communism
Chiang Kai Shek was the corrupt nationalist leader of China. Communists led by Mao Zedong fought with Nationalists in a Civil War. Communists won. Formed peopbles republic of China.
The Cold War
A period lasting from the end of WW2 to 1990 of tension and conflicts between America and the Soviet Union
Korean War
Fought between North and American assisted South Korea. North Korea hoped to conquer and convert South Korea. US and South Korea succeeded in driving back North Korean forces to a stalemate.
Armistice
A temporary pause in war or a truce
Duck and Cover Drills
Government sponsored drills that taught children how to act in case of nuclear attack.
U-2 incident
The final U-2 spy plane sent by the US was sent over the USSR. It was shot down and the pilot was sentenced to Soviet prison. Eisenhower refused to apologize.
NATO vs Warsaw Pact
National Atlantic Treaty Organization that pledged military support if any of its members were attacked by communist countries. The Soviet Union formed the Warsaw Pact with 7 other countries in response.
Nikita Khrushchev
Soviet leader of USSR. In office between 1957 and 1964. Squared off with the US, Eisenhower, and Kennedy
Baby Boom
The sharp birthrate increase following WW2
1950’s conformity
The Ideal white, middle class, suburban family. Men worked. Women stayed at home. New appliances and technology were sold to stay at home mothers.
White Flight
The period when white families left big cities for the suburbs, leaving the minorities in ghettos and urban collapse
Little Rock Nine
Nine African American students who were blocked from entering Little Rock Central until the National Guard escorted them in.
Jackie Robinson
An African American baseball player who joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947
Brown v. Board of education
In 1954, the supreme court struck down segregation in public school systems.
Plessy v. Ferguson
In 1896, the supreme court ruled the “seperate but equal” doctrine legal.
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Inspired by Rosa Parks 381 day boycott of Montgomery buses by African Americas. Led by Martin Luther King.
Martin Luther King
Peaceful civil rights activist. Preached civil disobedience. Led the civil rights movement. Famous for “I have a dream”, and “I’ve been to the mountaintop”. Assassinated in 1968
Freedom Summer
Summer of recruited nonviolent college groups that went to Mississippi to help register black voters. 3 workers killed in 1964.
Black Panthers
Vigilante African American groups who fought police brutality in the ghetto.
Civil Rights Orginizations
Southern Christian Leadership Conference; Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; Nation of Islam; NAACP
Cesar Chavez
A Mexican American immigrant activist who vouched for worker rights.
John F. Kennedy
Elected president in 1960. Democratic president who led America through the Cuban Missile Crisis. Assassinated in 1963.
The Kennedy Family Mystique
The Kennedy family fascinated the country with interesting talents and fashion. Newspapers and magazines captured these moments.
Assassination of Kennedy
JFK killed in an open air limousine in Dallas by lee Harvey Oswald in 1963
New frontier
A promise by Kennedy for social, technological, and economical progress.
1960 election
Kennedy vs Nixon. Kennedy less experienced, but better with the media and television. Kennedy wins
JFK foreign policy
JFK used flexible response to broaden their choices of response if attacked by soviets. Negotiated with Khrushchev to remove Cuban missiles if JFK removed missiles in turkey
Lyndon B Johnson and poverty
Enacted the economic opportunity act (gave out 1 billion dollars) which formed VISTA, head start programs, job corps, and the community action program
Great society
Started many organizations to boost education, housing, healthcare, and civil rights.
Medicare and Medicaid
Medicare provides hospital insurance and medical insurance for 65 and older medicaid extends this to welfare recipients.
Woodstock
A 3 day rock n roll festival in 1969 featuring the most popular bands. 400,000 attended.
Counterculture
A movement encouraging young men and women to drop out and join the communal unions of peace, love, and happiness. Drugs and psychedelics often involved.
Apollo program
The program that led and prepared for the mission to the moon in 1969
Motown
African American record label founded by Barry Gordy. Stated careers of Stevie wonder, jackson 5, etc
LBJ and Vietnam
Drafted the gulf of Tonkin resolution hastily to informally declare war on Vietnam (“all necessary measures” = vaguest statement ever made. Ranges from minor inspections to dropping napalm bombs in jungles.) criticized for dragging out the war.
Vietnam history
France ruled Vietnam from the late 1800s. Revolutionaries fled to china, and returned after ww2. Revolutionaries led by Ho Chi Minh, who founded communist north Vietnam and drove out the French. Then proceeded to attack south vietnam.
The Malaysian oil incident
In 1954, prior to US involvement in Vietnam, a stampede of wild animals broke through fences guarding Malaysian oils reserves, starting a fire that engulfed the US embassy. Confusion resulted as America mistook the incident for a talk. After a week long battle between the us and Malaysia, the confusion was settled, and a rice was signed. This incident caused the American government to adopt highest standards of safety in all embassies.
North, south, and us leaders
North vietnam: Ho Chi Minh
South Vietnam: Ngo dinh diem
US: Lyndon b Johnson.
French Indochina
The French colonized land of Indochina and ruled harshly. Discrimination against natives. French driven out in 1954 at dine bien php by vietnminh.
Geneva accords
A 1954 peace agreement that divided Vietnam into north and south Vietnam until 1956 elections. This didn’t happen because everyone in the world was getting assassinated in the 60s and nobody could really monitor the situation. Except Ho Chi Minh. Who took advantage of this and invaded south Vietnam.
Vietminh
The political supporters of Ho chi mien and north vietnam
Operation rolling thunder
A dries of American bombings over Vietnam forests to kill and uncover Vietcong soldiers
Vietcong
The militia groups and soldiers from north Vietnam that used their native jungle and landscape to their advantage.
Domino theory
If a nation falls to communism, nearby countries will too (like a disease, except worse, because COMMUNISM IS SPREADING LIKE A DISEASE OH MY GOD SAVE THAILAND!!!
Kent state tragedy
National guardsmen opened fire on students protesting the Vietnam sarin 1970. Nine wounded. Four killed
Agent orange
You wrote a report on it, you know already.
How the Vietnam war ends
Us troops retreat gradually, leaving south Vietnamese soldiers behind. In the fall of Saigon, north Vietnam isles troops overtook south Vietnam as remaining troops emergency helicoptered us and south Vietnamese civilians. Paris peace accords followed.
Legacy of the Vietnam war
General distrust in the government Americans weary of more wars Country divided War powers act People respected soldiers more ( because people were stupid and blamed soldiers for the war. They don't do that anymore)
War powers act
Ensured that the president must inform congress within 48 hours of sending forces into hostile areas without declaring war.
Paris peace accords
Treaty of Vietnam war. Unified Vietnam and arranged for the release of American POWs
1968 democratic convention
Thousands of protestors fought against police in violent riots in Chicago.
WONT YOU PLEASE COME TO CHICAGO FOR THE HELP THAT WE CAN BRING!!!!!
Robert F Kennedy
JFKs brother. Decided not to run originally, but then decided to run after LBJ announced he was not running for reelection. Assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan in 1968 for his support of Israel.
1972 election
Nixon vs McGovern. Landslide victory for Nixon.
26th amendment and Vietnam
Lowered the voting age to 18, allowing young men under 21 but still draft age to vote for president.
Vietnamization
The gradual withdrawal of troops from Vietnam
My Lai massacre
In 1968, William Calley ordered his troops to kill more than 200 innocent villagers. Story broke in 1969
Tet offensive
A surprise attack on s. Vietnam and various cities including Saigon by north Vietnam during the temporary Tet truce. Turning point in the war.
Aka: 1968 was a terrible year
Fall of Saigon
End of the war. In 1975, the north launched a final invasion of south Vietnam. Saigon was captured and surrendered as helicopters frantically rescued civilians.
Stagflation. We are finally done with Vietnam now.
High inflation and high unemployment
Watergate break-in
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5 men broke into watergate and bugged the office telephones. Part of CREEP (committee to reelect the president)
Watergate reporters
Carl Bernstein and Bob wood war from the Washington post broke the story
The pentagon papers
Daniel Ellsberg leaked thousands of classified documents in 1971 detailing how the American public had been mislead during the Vietnam war.
Richard Nixon
Republican president from 1968 to 1974, when he resigned due to the watergate scandal. Pardoned by ford.
Resignation
Announced in 1974 august 8th. He resigned to avoid a long impeachment trial. Gerald ford sworn in.
Spiro Agnew
Vice president to Nixon. Resigned after he was accused of bribery which were confirmed to be true.
Gerald Ford and pardoning
A month after the resignation, Ford granted Nixon a full pardon. Widely criticized
Deep Throat
An insider that provided information to Woodward and Bernstein. Later revealed himself in 2005. He was the #2 man in the FBI at the time of Watergate.
Jimmy Carter
Democrat former governor and peanut farmer. Connected to people in a very “down to earth” way. Struggled with economy and stagflation.
Jimmy Carter’s foreign policy
Intervened in foreign affairs only to protect human rights. Negotiated piece between Egypt and Israel, but failed to free Iran hostages.
John Lennon
Famous musician and former Beatles member. Born exactly 58 years before Jeremy Bell. Assassinated in 1980
Geraldine Ferraro
First woman on a major party’s presidential ticket. Ran with Walter Mondale as democrats in 1984 election
Ronald Reagan’s policies
Cut taxes, cut the budget, increased defense spending, improvised economy despite growing debt. Trickle down economics. End of the cold war. TEAR DOWN THAT WALL!!!. Vouched for star wars technology.
Iran Contra Scandal
After American hostages were taken in Lebanon in 1983, Reagan sold arms to Iran in exchange for the hostages. Extra profit from arms sales were sent to the contras in Nicaragua, a direct break to the Boland amendment.
Sandinistas
The Rebel group that took over Nicaragua. Aided by Jimmy Carter. Denounced by Reagan.
OPEC
Organization of Petroleum exporting countries. Controlled oil prices on exports from the middle east.
The Challenger
A 1986 space shuttle which exploded shortly after take off, killing everyone on board.
Black Monday
An economic dive in the 1980’s. Resembled the stock exchange crash of the 1920’s.
War on Drugs
Launched by Reagan administration. Famous for Nancy Reagan’s “Just say no!” motto.
Sandra Day O’Conner
The first woman to be appointed to the court. Elected by Reagan
Leaders of the first Iraq War
George Bush Sr., and Saddam Hussein
What happened in the first Iraq War?
Iraq marched into Kuwait, claiming the oil in 1990. Operation Desert Storm, launched in 1991 was a massive American air assault on Iraq. They later launched a ground offensive. Cease fire on February 8th, 1991.
Collapse of the Berlin Wall
East Germany took over their communist government and ordered to open the wall in 1990.
Tienanmen Square
The 1989 university marches in Tienanmen were crushed and slaughtered by the Chinese Military.
End of the Cold War
Soviet Union began collapsing from Gorbachev’s pro democratic policies and his encouraging of East and West Germany to be free. East Germany fell apart, as did Czechoslovakia. Yugoslavia collapsed into civil wars.
Technology in 1980’s
Personal computers, cellphones, Apple, and Microsoft,
Perestroika
Restructuring of soviet society
1992 election
Clinton vs bush. Clint on wins a fairly close election.
NAFTA
North American free trade agreement. Brought Mexico into already existing US-Canada free grade zone
George H W Bush vs George W Bush
Father and son. Bush sr. Elected in 1988. Bush jr. Elected in 2000 and 2004. Sr. Led during the first Iraq war. Jr. Led during the second. Both republican.
Bill Clinton
Democrat from Arkansas. Opposed the Vietnam war. Elected in 1992 and 1996. Introduced many bipartisan policies
Al gore
Democratic runner in 2000 against bush. Won more popular votes but not enough electoral.
Monika lewinski
A young White House intern who bill Clinton had an affair with and lied about under oath
Clinton impeached
Clinton was impeached for improper funding, and for perjury and obstruction of justice.
Controversial 2000 election.
Al gore was projected to win in Florida based on popular votes and thus the election. However, it was later revealed to be unclear. Bush won based on electoral votes. A call for a recount was denied in the Supreme Court.
September 11, 2001
Two hijacked jet planes struck the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Later, a jet crashed into the pentagon. Killed near 3000 people.
2004 election
Bush vs Kerry. Very divided country. Bush won popular votes and electoral votes.
John Kerry
Massachusetts senator who challenged bush in the 2004 election. Currently Secretary of State under Obama
Federal Communications Commission
Regulates and licensed television, telephone,telegraph, radio etc
Beat movement
Social and literary nonconformity of artists, poets, and writers
